Brief Encounters
by Khentkawes
Summary: “You speak from the heart, Doctor Jackson. That is what I remember most from your brief time among us.” Morgan La Fay’s encounters with Daniel Jackson have influenced her decisions more than Daniel will ever realize.
1. Debate

A Brief Conversation

_Takes place during the episode "Full Circle" after Daniel visits Jack in the SGC elevator, but before he appears on Abydos._

Spoilers: Full Circle, random ascension stuff, and one line from The Pegasus Project_.  
_

* * *

"You speak from the heart, Doctor Jackson. That is what I remember most from your brief time among us."

-- Morgan La Fay in "The Pegasus Project

* * *

On the ascended planes --

"This has been explained to you before, Daniel. I thought you had come to understand."

Daniel Jackson, former human from the planet earth, listened to the woman he knew so little about. She was another ascended being and apparently a friend of Daniel's mentor, Oma Desala, but he had only met her once before. Daniel had met surprisingly few of the ascended during the past year. Oma had purposely kept him away from "the others" who condemned her for her work, but he had met some of them, including Morgan, the being he was speaking with now. He didn't know why she was here unless Oma had sent her, and if that was true it meant his little "visit" to the SGC earlier hadn't gone unnoticed.

The woman continued. "We cannot interfere because we do not have the right. We would be no better than the Goa'uld or the O... other such beings who seek to use humans for their own purposes. That is why, as ascended beings, we must not interfere with the lower planes."

Daniel winced at the slight stress on the word "lower," but said nothing. "I understand that, Morgan, believe me, I do. But there's another side to this. Anubis has to be stopped. Now I don't know how he managed to become so powerful...I mean, no one will tell me, but I have the feeling that you know." Daniel had always been a student of human nature, and although this woman was not actually human, he could still sense that his words made her feel uncomfortable. "Look, I know there's something else going on here and if you know what it is than you have an obligation to do something about it. By refusing to act, you are still interfering."

The woman at his side glanced down and sighed. Or at least she appeared to. After all, she wasn't actually a woman, but for Daniel it was still easier to picture ascended beings in human form. It helped to ground him and give him a framework for how he should interact with them. He could almost pretend that this conversation was just like any other, and that he was not actually arguing with a powerful incorporeal being about the nature of morality and the fate of his galaxy.

"Taking action to affect the lower planes is an act of selfishness and greed." Morgan said. She paused and turned to look Daniel in the eye, staring at him so intently that it made him nervous. "It is too easy for interference to turn into selfish manipulation and corruption. We have a responsibility to make sure that does not happen."

"But responsibility is exactly what this is about! I'm not talking about manipulating people for our own gain. I'm talking about taking responsibility for actions that have already been made. We cannot sit by and ignore what is going on because you all believe that it doesn't affect us. That is just as self-serving as outright manipulation." Daniel seemed to take a deep breath, although on some level he knew that oxygen was no longer necessary for him. He continued without loosing one iota of the passion and momentum he had been building. "You claim that the others are doing this because they think it is best for all involved, but despite all their talk about the 'moral high ground' they are willing to let a galaxy of people be slaughtered and enslaved because they do not want to risk making a mistake. Yes, interference may lead to corruption, but refusing to help because you are afraid to take responsibility for your actions is cowardice. You may be able to detach yourselves from what is going on down there, but I can't. I can't just ignore needless suffering. You talk about how dangerous it can be to 'unnaturally advance' a race beyond its current evolutionary and technological stage of development, but that is exactly what has happened. Anubis somehow gained access to power and technology that is beyond his own level of understanding and now he is going to use it to destroy countless lives. Now you explain to me how it can be morally justifiable to just sit back and allow that to happen."

Morgan said nothing. For a long while, there was stillness after Daniel's maelstrom of passionate words.

"I see why Oma brought you here Daniel. You speak from the heart. It is a rare gift. She wanted you to be one of her followers. She planned to pass on to you everything she knows and believes in, so that you could continue her mission. But I see that will never happen. You are not a follower Daniel, you are a seeker. I hope one day you will find what you seek. And when you do, I think it will force us all to change the way we believe."

Daniel was stunned by her words, reeling from the change in their conversation and confused by the sincerity in her voice.

"Oma and all of those who agree with her walk a very fine line in order to do what good they can without drastically changing human existence on the lower planes. You have learned how to walk that line yourself," Morgan pointed out gently.

Daniel closed his eyes and wondered if his life would ever be simple again. He almost wished that he could go back to how things were in the beginning, when he first ascended. He had been so taken in by the majesty of all this, the vastness of the knowledge, that he had never even considered how confining his existence had become. He had simply relished the process of exploring the limitless possibilities, the infinite knowledge... at least for a while.

He drew in another breath of imaginary air.

"I just wonder if the other ascended beings will have the courage to cross that line when it becomes necessary."

* * *

Abydos --

"I don't know what to tell you. I mean if Dr. Jackson were here..." Jonas began.

"Oh, he's here. He's definitely here," Jack said, turning around as if to pull Daniel out of his hiding place.

Jack was right. Daniel had been watching SG1 ever since he appeared to Jack in the SGC elevator. Even while he spoke to Morgan, some part of him was still watching his team and taking pride in their ability to do what needed to be done.

"Jack," Daniel spoke as he appeared behind his old friend. Interacting on a human plane still seemed odd to him because he wasn't actually, physically there. He could be in the pyramid with Jack, Sam, and Jonas, and yet still be aware of the battle going on outside, of Morgan's words echoing in his mind, of Anubis' ship in orbit and the many, many lives that were at stake. He was more aware than ever before of the vast ramifications for what would happen here today, and that awareness went beyond an abstract sense of what could happen. He knew, knew beyond a doubt how many people Anubis would murder, which planets he would destroy first, the names of each of his intended victims... The weight of the knowledge could be staggering.

Jack wanted him to help them. Daniel wished it was that simple. He knew it was entirely possible that Oma Desala or one of the others would stop him if he tried. Daniel was not even sure how far his own abilities extended, if he was even capable of offering the help Jack was asking for.

"Remember that fine line we were talking about?" Daniel asked.

Jack looked him straight in the eye. "Cross it." His voice was firm.

Daniel turned around, breaking eye contact. He let out a long sigh.

"Okay."

Daniel could sense Jack's surprise at his quick acquiescence, at the calm in his soft voice, but he found that he was perfectly at peace with this decision. It was a decision he could live with, or if necessary, die with. But he could not live with himself if he sat by and did nothing.

* * *

Morgan La Fay smiled as she watched Daniel Jackson. She could not exactly condone what he was about to do, but she could not deny him the chance to try. He did not even know the full extent of the Ancients' responsibility in the matter. Daniel Jackson did not know that the ascended beings were actually the Ancients who had started life in his galaxy. He did not know, although he would soon find out, that Anubis had gained his power through ascension and that the Ancients had failed to take action. They were responsible, and yet Daniel Jackson was the only one who would act. The matter was more complicated than he knew. He did not know about the Ori and the philosophical divisions among the Ancients themselves. Still, his actions would affect many things and she had a feeling that he was not done challenging the status quo among her kind.

She smiled. "We will meet again, Daniel Jackson. Of that I have no doubt."

The ascended being left the planet behind her, allowing the coming confrontation to unfold without her interference.


	2. Amusement

Spoilers for "Threads."

Author's note: I never planned on continuing this, but a kindly reviewer sent some vicious little plot bunnies my way. I have already started a third chapter that will really deal with some of Morgan's motivations, and I have to admit, I'm really starting to like her as a character. But I'm disturbed that I may have to change the title of this story to fit with the new direction it's going. Feedback is deeply desired.

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Chapter 2 - Amusement

For the first time in what felt like millennia, Morgan La Fay laughed. Once again, Daniel Jackson was doing his best to turn the ascended planes upside down. And this time he wasn't even ascended.

It came as no surprise to her that Daniel was once again on the front page of the _Ascended Times_. When Daniel Jackson believed in something, he perused it with a fervor and single-mindedness that reminded Morgan of one of her old adversaries, a man whose disregard for the rules had often gotten him into trouble with the collective "others."

But this time, Daniel might just be doing them all a favor. Morgan thought back to the last time that she had spoken with Daniel. It had been shortly before his forced descension and he had argued that the Ascended had a responsibility to stop Anubis. Of course, at the time he hadn't known the full extent of their responsibility in the matter. Only later had he discovered that Anubis was half-ascended and that Oma Desala was responsible. Despite what Daniel thought, the Ascended Ancients did believe in taking responsibility for one's actions. But if anyone was going to stop Anubis, it had to be Oma Desala. It was her mistake, and no one else would be allowed to fix it for her.

Morgan La Fay sat in a back corner of the diner, pretending to work on a crossword puzzle that didn't really exist. The whole scenario was amusing. Only Daniel Jackson would conjure up a scene like this. She wondered what made his subconscious mind chose an old diner as the place to contemplate his own enlightenment.

She had to admit, for all the trouble he seemed to cause, Doctor Jackson had given them all something to talk about. That was why they were all here now. The others were watching him again, and although no one wanted to admit it, the decision that Daniel would be forced to make would have a profound impact upon them all.

Morgan put aside her imaginary crossword puzzle and turned to the front page of the newspaper. _Jackson Still Undecided_, it read. Despite appearances, the newspaper was real. It didn't normally exist in this form, of course, but Daniel's subconscious was determining the setting and the characters for this little drama. Nonetheless, the newspaper represented the most significant "news" in the ascended planes. Just because they did not involve themselves in the affairs of lower beings, did not mean that the Ascended ignored them altogether. Some of the Ascended studied the lower planes quiet diligently, although they never dreamt of actually interfering. The fact that Daniel, a mere un-ascended human, was on the front page of the paper proved how unprecedented this situation was.

"Excuse me," Daniel said loudly, his voice breaking through Morgan's thoughts. Like the others in the room, she refused to respond. She had pulled many strings to be here today, to witness what was about to happen. She knew both Daniel and Oma, and although she was unsure how the coming confrontation would play out, she was sure that something drastic was about to take place. "Isn't it enough, already? I mean, a whole galaxy of innocent people, enslaved and tortured for generations, now on the verge of being destroyed for nothing? For what? For one mistake a good person made trying to do a good thing. Come on, the least you could do is listen to me." _Oh, Daniel_, Morgan thought, _I'm listening. And believe me, so are many of the others_. "That can't be against the grand high-falutin' cosmic rules!"

Morgan hid her amusement as Daniel did everything he could think of to get the Others' attention, from yelling in a man's face, to attempting to strangle him. Of course from the Ascended's point of view, his attempts were rather childish and naïve. He had no power to act in this place. The only thing he could do was argue his case. But as Morgan knew from past experience, Daniel's words could prove more effective than most weapons.

Eventually Daniel turned back to Oma, frustrated and confused by the lack of response. Oma Desala, of course, was not surprised. They rehashed the same issues: Oma's punishment, the way she continued to break the rules by helping people ascend, the fact that Anubis could not be destroyed… Morgan could see that they were getting nowhere. And then Anubis returned and all hell broke loose.

Daniel would never allow Anubis to destroy an entire galaxy without a fight, but it was his determination and the strength of his belief in doing what was right that finally convinced Oma to act. Morgan was proud of her friend when she moved against Anubis, because this is what she should have done from the beginning. Morgan smiled. _Because it is so clear, it takes a long time to realize it. If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, than the meal was cooked a long time ago._ Oma had always believed she knew what her path should be. Now she finally realized where she had gone wrong.

Daniel stood in the middle of the diner in shock as Oma and Anubis slowly disappeared in a clash of light and power. The Others looked on, finally paying attention, and many of them appeared even more shocked than Daniel.

For a long moment, nothing happened. All around her, realization began to sink in and Morgan could feel the Others begin to smile in approval. Oma Desala had finally earned her redemption. While the Ascended contemplated this turn of events, Daniel stood alone, looking slightly lost and very puzzled. Morgan stood and moved over to stand behind him.

"Daniel Jackson," she said softly. He turned around to face her, startled at the sound of her voice, surprised that she was speaking to him, and clearly wary of her intentions. Morgan knew he would not remember her. Even if he could, she appeared in a different form now, to ensure that he would not recognize her if they ever met again. "I sense you have many questions."

"Yeah, you could say that," Daniel was still wary. "…but you're not actually going to answer my questions, are you?"

She smiled. "Oma Desala is following her path. We accept her actions as atonement for her past mistakes."

Daniel frowned. "You wanted her to deal with Anubis on her own, to take full responsibility for her mistake, and you were willing to allow an entire galaxy to suffer if she didn't."

"Our decisions, are none of your concern." Morgan winced at her own words. This debate would serve no purpose now. "I suggest you consider your own future."

"My future?" Daniel said skeptically.

Morgan took him by the arm and began walking towards the door.

"We do not believe you are ready to ascend. You are still too young, too impulsive, too willful."

"You mean, I don't follow your rules."

She gave him an indulgent smile. "That is also true. Nonetheless, you have served as a guide to Oma Desala on her journey. You are, in part, responsible for the path she has chosen, and for that we owe you a debt of gratitude."

Daniel was stunned, but recovered quickly. "Okay, so how about sending me home?"

"We intend to, but it is not as simple as it seems. You forget, Daniel, that you are dead. It is against our laws to physically resurrect your body, as that would require interfering with the lower planes. However, if you permit me, I will help you temporarily ascend and I will escort you back to Earth where you will continue on the path you have walked since your desension."

"You're going to ascend me, just so that you can _de_scend me?"

"Essentially, yes."

"And, I'm guessing I don't have any choice in the matter." Morgan said nothing. "Are you at least going to let me keep my memory this time?" The woman smiled cryptically. "Right," Daniel sighed. "Okay, well, we might as well get on with it. To Oz…"

Morgan closed her eyes and began the transformation process. She had not lied to Daniel. The Others had agreed that this was the best course of action and he would be allowed to remember what had happened in this place, but he would be denied any further access to the knowledge that normally went along with ascension. It was a calculated risk. There was still a chance that he would regain some memories from the first time he ascended, but at least they could prevent him from using this second, brief ascension to learn any more than he already knew.

The diner dissolved around them as Morgan whisked them away, carrying Daniel back to his home planet. For his part, Daniel was still adjusting to the change to incorporeal form, but as they approached Earth he stretched out his senses and felt the SGC self-destruct counting down. With conscious effort, Daniel reached out, trying to grasp the power that was just beyond him. Through an act of pure will, he forced time to slow as he pulled the self-destruct timer to a stop.

Morgan laughed. He wasn't supposed to be able to use his powers so quickly, but then again, perhaps a part of his mind remembered what it felt like to exist as energy. Either way, Daniel was once again, bending the rules. But it was simpler this way. The Others could not stop the self-destruct without breaking their own rules and appearing like a bunch of hypocrites. Still, she knew that the Others felt a responsibility to tie up the loose ends that Oma's actions had created. They probably would have stopped the self-destruct themselves, but Daniel had taken that responsibility from them. Of course, he had also proven, once again, why the Others would never accept him.

Morgan began his recorporalization and then deposited him in the first convenient location she encountered. She felt Daniel's shock at the sudden descent, the slightly rough landing, and the gradual process of becoming re-accustomed to human form.

_It's been a pleasure as always, Doctor Jackson._ Morgan thought, as she left him to rejoin his friends. _I suspect this is goodbye, but I thank you for helping Oma to see her own path more clearly._


	3. Confrontation

Spoilers: The Powers That Be, Pegasus Project, Threads, and vague references to the differences between the Ori and the Ancients.

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Chapter 3 – Confrontation

Morgan La Fay had never been one to break the rules on a whim. She understood the need for clear laws that outlined appropriate behavior for beings on the ascended planes. It was why she had never agreed with Merlin's actions. His impulsive behavior was dangerous, but he had refused to listen to anyone else, stubbornly insisting that he knew what was best. Merlin's recklessness threatened the order and stability of the entire ascended plane of existence.

Above all, Morgan valued order.

That was one of the reasons that she was chosen to monitor Merlin's actions. She believed in the rules against interference. As an Ascended being, she believed in free will, in each individual's unique journey to enlightenment, and that such a journey must be taken alone. The Ascended could not interfere, or they would be no better than the Ori. Morgan understood this.

Still, she could not help but admire Merlin, as well. Morgan would abide by the rules, but she had found herself fascinated by those who chose not to. What could possibly make any ascended being take such a risk? Eventually, she came to understand Merlin's position, even to sympathize with him in a way. She even tried to protect him in whatever small ways she could. Later, she befriended Oma Desala, as well; another rule-breaker. Now, both of her friends were gone and she missed the way that they had consistently challenged her to consider alternate viewpoints.

But these were perilous times and Morgan was nervous. She felt that the order and balance she believed in were about to be disrupted.

Daniel Jackson was following in his mentor's footsteps, and the consequences of his actions could be disastrous. Morgan wondered what Merlin would say about all of this. She scoffed. He would probably force a confrontation himself, simply to teach the other ascended beings that their rules were archaic and foolhardy.

The priors of the Ori were invading this galaxy and the Others simply stood aside and watched. They claimed to have reasons that justified their inaction. They said it was none of their concern, they said that the priors were no danger to the ascended planes, they said that this galaxy was so small and insignificant that it was not worth the risk of interference…

But Morgan remembered Daniel's words. He was right, she feared. They had been ascended so long that they had forgotten what it was like to live…to act…to take a risk. They were cowards, just as Daniel had said.

Morgan had spent some time looking in on Doctor Jackson. He was still arguing his case to anyone who would listen, determined to fight the Ori in any way he could.

On a tiny, insignificant little desert planet, he took a stand for what he believed in.

"Maybe hoarding knowledge is wrong….or maybe it's not. Maybe, learning something for yourself is part of the journey to enlightenment." Morgan smiled. Daniel had learned much since he first ascended, even if he didn't remember all of it. "But killing someone for not worshipping you, regardless of your power, _is_ wrong. Very wrong. Knowledge is power, but how you use that power defines whether you are good, or evil."

Morgan La Fay returned to her own plane of existence, wishing she had Daniel's way with words. She would do her best to speak from her heart, as Daniel always did, but she knew it would not be enough.

There was a swirl of light and color and energy as she appeared before a gathering of her fellow ascended beings.

"Ganos Lal, you have come to present a case before us?" Among the Ascended, it was always difficult to tell whether one person was speaking, or whether a thought was simply shared by so many beings that it became vocalized. Morgan was fairly certain she was dealing with the old ruling council here. They must have taken it upon themselves to speak for the general assembly in this case. Some of the hierarchical structures from their past were still in place, but in general, decisions were made by consensus. That was why it was so important that every ascended being follow the rules. Each individual was powerful in their own right, and such power could only be controlled through willing submission to the rules and the consensus of the whole collective.

"Yes, I have." There was no title which she could use to address this assembly and no precedent for what she was trying to accomplish. "I bring up the issue of the Ori for the assembly's consideration." There was a murmur, like voices muttering in harmony, or the sound of many waters, yet it was somehow muted so that you had to strain to hear it. It was a sound of quiet contemplation, not the sound of dissent or disagreement…not yet.

"The Ori have become aware of the galaxy that we gave new life after the plague. The Ori are sending their human followers. They are not content with the power they have over the old galaxy and will do everything in their power to subjugate this one."

"We are aware," the many voices answered her. "The Ori will not come here themselves. They know the rules that we have set up, and will not dare provoke us to action. The actions of their followers do not affect us. It is not our concern."

Morgan was already frustrated by their blindness and arrogance.

"Perhaps they do not believe we are capable of action. Perhaps we have remained passive for so long that they do not see us as a threat to them." She could feel their silent disapproval of her words, so she decided to change tactics. "We created life in this galaxy. Do we not have a responsibility to protect it?"

There was a pause. "We will prevent the Ori from directly interfering in this galaxy, just as we would prevent interference from one of our own. The actions of their followers, however, are still beyond our realm. We will not interfere with their right to choose, even if they choose to follow the Ori."

Morgan sighed and took a moment to gather her resolve. "If you believe that the Ori will stop at sending priors, then you are fools." The energy around her swelled with anger, but she pressed on. "They have already crossed the line. They are beginning a crusade that will end with the subjugation of this entire galaxy, and they will not stop there. It is only a matter of time before they launch an attack on our realm as well. And by that time, they may be too powerful for us to stop them." Morgan glanced around her, willing the others to listen and believe. "Our indifference to the suffering of others does not further our attempts to achieve true enlightenment. And if we do not have the courage to act, we may be dooming countless beings to meaningless destruction…including ourselves."

Morgan found that she had nothing else to say. For a few moments, she listened. She heard a whisper or two of discord in the normal stream of thoughts among the Ascended. A few were beginning to consider her words, but not enough.

Morgan La Fay sighed in discouragement. She could not act on her own, but she did not know how long she could sit idly by. Perhaps if she gave it time, the Others would see that she was right. Perhaps they would still choose to act before it was too late.

But she had made her point. She had planted the seed of doubt. For now, that was all she could do, because breaking the rules at this stage would accomplish nothing. From now on, she would walk a very fine line. Somehow, she thought that Oma Desala would sympathize with her position. As would Daniel Jackson. But of course, in the end, they had both crossed the line and they had both paid the price.

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A/N: If you have any ideas, feedback, constructive criticism, or if you just want to tell me that you read it, than please leave a review. Reviews are much loved and appreciated. 


	4. Observation

Spoilers: The Fourth Horseman Part 1 and 2, Ascension

Author's Note: There's still more to come. Thanks to all who have reviewed, especially Briar Elwood, who is mainly responsible for this story becoming much longer than originally intended.

If you have thoughts, feedback, or constructive criticism, please press the review button. Even if you merely tolerated it, review and tell me why!

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Chapter 4 – Observation

Morgan La Fay hovered in her corner of the SGC briefing room and sighed heavily. Not that anyone would notice. Morgan was good at observing without being noticed. After all, at one point in time, it had been her job to observe, to keep careful watch on those that the Others deemed "potentially dangerous."

This time, however, she was observing purely out of curiosity.

No, that wasn't entirely true either. Yes, there was an element of curiosity involved – her long-standing fascination with rule-breakers had drawn her to this place. But Morgan was also becoming emotionally connected to this small galaxy and it was increasingly difficult to maintain the distant and impassive sense of scientific curiosity that had motivated her in the past. If Morgan was honest with herself, she had to admit that she had come to care very deeply about this galaxy and the people in it. She was worried for them. More than that, she was afraid.

It was fear that motivated her now, fear and hope…hope that was beginning to stir because one person had the courage to do what he believed was right, no matter what the consequences.

Orlin had broken the rules.

It wasn't the first time, of course. Although Morgan had never known Orlin personally, she did know of his past transgressions. Orlin had been punished once before for sharing technology with an insignificant and backward little planet called Velona. That planet had tried to use the knowledge Orlin gave them to harm other worlds. Morgan understood that Orlin's intentions were good, but the rules existed for a reason. Even actions made with the best of intentions could cause disastrous results. Orlin had acted without foresight or regard for the order set up by the Ascended. His mistake had resulted in the destruction of an entire planet, but all things considered, it was a small price to pay. However, like Oma Desala, Orlin had earned his redemption. He had tried to disable the weapon in order to prevent the SGC from using it, even at the cost of his own life. He had been willing to sacrifice himself to correct his mistakes, and that was why he had been allowed to return. But the Ascended would not forgive a second transgression.

That was why Morgan was here now. She was growing frustrated with her fellow Ascended beings. Despite her previous attempts at persuasion, they were willfully blind to the threat of the Ori and Morgan was afraid that everything the _Ancients_ had believed in would be destroyed because the _Ascended_ were too indifferent to the suffering of others. She still tried to sway the Others to her cause, but she had to be careful not to cross the line. If she were to accomplish anything, she would need help, and as the Others became more stubbornly entrenched in their policy of non-interference, Morgan was losing hope.

But now, things had changed. Orlin had chosen to act. Since he had rejoined the collective, Orlin had been quiet, almost submissive. He had seen the error of his ways and his compassionate nature was tempered by the wisdom he had gained from his experience with Velona. That was why his actions were so unexpected.

Orlin sat next to Colonel Carter, with General Landry presiding at the head of the table. Daniel Jackson sat across from the formerly ascended being, and Morgan could see his emotions clearly reflected in troubled blue eyes.

"I'm sorry…aren't you breaking some major cosmic rules here? I mean, why did the Others let you go without wiping your memory clean?" Daniel asked, spreading his hands in front of him as if pleading for answers. Morgan knew he was seeking more than just a simple understanding of Orlin's situation. While they had briefed Landry on the situation, Daniel had hardly taken his eyes off the spot where Orlin sat below them in the isolation room. Everyone else had been too distracted by the unusual situation to notice Daniel's intense interest, but Morgan understood what he must have been thinking. Daniel saw in Orlin not only the chance to save his planet from the Ori plague, but also a chance to find some answers regarding his own forgotten time as an ascended being. Now, he looked up from the briefing room table he had been staring at, and studied Orlin's reaction.

"Honestly, I don't really know. I guess enough of them felt it was necessary for someone to step out of line and warn you," Orlin answered.

Morgan was startled by his words and took a moment to ponder them. Did the Others _allow_ Orlin to warn Earth? Was it possible, that some of them were beginning to see her point of view? Until now, she had felt very alone in her desire to stop the Ori, but perhaps Orlin was right. Maybe enough of them were beginning to see reason. She felt a slight thrill of excitement at the hope Orlin's words gave her. Maybe someone else had argued his case and that was why he was permitted to come to the Earth.

She returned her attention to the scene playing out before her. Morgan watched Daniel's reactions closely. He was an open book to anyone paying close enough attention. His facial expressions telegraphed everything he was feeling: his surprise when Orlin told them that they did not yet know everything about the Ori's plan, his growing concern as Orlin described how the Ori sapped the life force of their followers. Morgan could see the puzzle pieces falling into place in Daniel's mind. He had always suspected that there was more to the Ori's motives than simple egotism. But as Orlin continued, Daniel began to find answers to other questions – answers he didn't want to face.

Colonel Carter questioned how this transfer of power was possible, and Orlin tried to explain in simplified terms. "For it to have a measurable effect," he continued, "it requires massive numbers of humans relinquishing their will. Nevertheless, it is one of the main reasons the Ancients have so strongly believed in strict non-interference in the lower planes."

Daniel spoke quickly. "Because the temptation to manipulate and align lower life forms in some order for your own purposes could result in exactly this type of abusive corruption."

Morgan gave the young man a sad smile. _Yes, Daniel. You understand now. It is more complicated than you originally believed. You finally understand why non-interference is at the very core of our belief system. It is the only way to protect your galaxy, to protect all life forms from becoming victims of corruption._ It was not the answer Daniel wanted, but he seemed to accept it.

Morgan heard Orlin explain that the followers of the Ori would never achieve ascension, only a meaningless death.

"Because there's no conscious effort to achieve enlightenment without being spoon-fed by the Ori," Daniel added. Morgan nodded in agreement. _Yes. Enlightenment is a journey that each individual must make on their own._

It was General Landry who finally asked the big question: why won't the Ancients stop the Ori? Morgan silently thanked the general. He had asked what everyone was thinking, but no one would ask. Not even Morgan had dared to put the problem in such plain terms.

"I am one of them no longer," Orlin said, "and even if I was, it is unclear whether such action would result in victory. Nor is such an endeavor at that level necessarily the next best step to further enlightenment." Daniel had been staring wide-eyed throughout this conversation, but his eyes suddenly narrowed in a look that bordered on disapproval. His brow furrowed and Morgan could see the frustration. "All I can say for sure is that if this galaxy were to succumb and bow to the Ori, it would be very bad for everyone."

Morgan almost rolled her eyes at Orlin's mastery of understatement. The humans had no response to Orlin's words and there was a tense silence throughout the room. Landry and Carter looked worried, and Morgan understood how they felt. She was worried as well, both for the people of Earth and for her own people if the Ori succeeded.

When Morgan glanced at Daniel she saw him close his eyes briefly as if in pain, and then look down, his head hung low. She saw disillusionment in those eyes. He had questioned the Ancients for some time, but now he seemed to have lost all faith in them. Morgan was confused by his reaction. Seconds ago, he had understood why they believed in non-interference. Now he seemed to condemn them for it.

Morgan stretched out her senses just a bit. The Ancients did not believe in reading another person's mind, but as she drew closer to Daniel, his thoughts rung out clearly in the strained silence.

_This is wrong!_ Morgan nearly jumped at the words…the exact same words Daniel had uttered to Oma, not once, but twice. _No matter how pure their intentions, it is still wrong to allow the Ori to destroy innocent lives. But the Ancients refuse to see that. And soon it may be too late for all of us…and for them._ Daniel closed his eyes against the answers Orlin had given him. He had wanted so badly to trust the Ancients and to believe that they would eventually step in to help his people.

Daniel's intense disappointment in them was almost tangible and Morgan could not help but feel ashamed.

Morgan took a deep breath and tried to expel her own frustrations even as she blocked out the other beings in the room. She took a moment to focus on the situation at hand and discern her next step. Daniel was right. Ignoring the Ori was wrong. Orlin had seen that and he had acted. His action had given her hope because it proved that she was not alone. And if enough of the Others had agreed with Orlin's actions… well maybe there was still a chance for a revolution among the Ascended. Just maybe, she could still convince them that the Ori had to be stopped. It was worth a try.

Morgan La Fay left Earth behind her. Daniel's people had their own battle to fight. With Orlin's help and their own natural resourcefulness, she was confidant that they would succeed. In the meantime, she had a task of her own. Stirring up troops for a revolution was a big job, after all, and she was not ready to give up just yet.


	5. Action

Spoilers: The Pegasus Project. Maybe some minor ones for The Quest.

I actually have a plan for the rest of this story. So stick with me here, because things are about to get interesting, and some questions will be answered in the following chapters.

* * *

Chapter 5 – Action

Although Morgan La Fay had never blatantly defied the rules, she did have a tendency to bend them on occasion. She walked the line, as Oma Desala would say. Today, she teetering on the edge of that fine line, barely keeping herself from plunging over the edge and into the murky depths of uncertainty that lay on the other side.

Since the Ori had begun the invasion of the Milky Way galaxy, Morgan had felt more and more tempted to ignore the rules altogether. The Ori certainly had done so. Sending ships of human soldiers was one thing, but creating an advanced human to lead them, a human who was given ascended knowledge and powers, was clearly violating several major clauses in the agreement. It was a worse violation than Merlin's decision to retake human form without giving up his ascended knowledge. Yet the Others did nothing to stop it. She had to agree with Doctor Jackson that the Ascended rulebook was becoming a little hard to follow.

Nonetheless, she had a plan that would not _technically_ break any major rules. Okay, so she was doing a lot of rule-bending, but she was confidant that the rules were flexible enough to handle what she had in mind. After all, the subtle approach had worked well for her in the past.

Once again Morgan stood inside the great city of Atlantis. She had not been here in years, and could not help but wish that her visit "home" was under better circumstances. But she had a task to complete. She had to make sure that Daniel found the next clue in his quest for the Sangreal. So without _directly_ interfering, she disguised herself as the holographic interface to the learning program she had created many years ago, and proceeded to answer Daniel's questions in such a way that he would find the exact answers that he needed.

Morgan almost laughed at the antics of the two humans. Daniel and Vala seemed to squabble like children. Of course, compared to the Ancients, they essentially were children. Morgan managed to have a bit of fun fooling Daniel Jackson. When she told him the names and the addresses of the planets he was searching for, his dumbfounded look had been priceless. It was a good thing Morgan could control her expression because she was tempted to chuckle at Daniel's confusion and Vala Mal Doran's smug smile.

But the good Doctor Jackson was not about to give up. She was unsure what he hoped to accomplish by searching through the visual record of the Lantians who had fled to earth, but just in case he suspected anything, she was careful not to show him her own image, at least not right away.

When he flat out accused her of being an Ascended Ancient posing as a hologram, it was Morgan's turn to feel dumbfounded.

However, nothing was quite so amusing as watching Daniel yell at an empty room while Doctor Elizabeth Weir stared at him in shock. Daniel appeared briefly embarrassed as he greeted Doctor Weir, but he quickly returned to shouting at the ceiling as though it was a perfectly logical course of action. Morgan would have laughed if she wasn't so worried about the consequences if she was discovered. She had never thought that Daniel would question her actions, but clearly she should have expected more from Doctor Jackson. After all, he had presented a logical argument for why the names should not have been in the database. What Morgan did not understand was how he had figured out she was an ascended being.

"Who are you talking to?" Elizabeth Weir asked, apparently thinking that Doctor Jackson was slightly delusional or at the very least, irrational.

Daniel was unperturbed and continued without pause. "Well, I don't know what she's calling herself these days, but at one point in history her name was _Morgan La Fay!_" He shouted the last part and Morgan tensed. How could he know that? Even if he suspected she was an ascended being, there was no way he could have known specifically who she was. He had found very little information about her on Vagonbrei. It would have taken an astonishing leap of intuition to reach such a conclusion. Was it possible that he remembered her from their previous encounters? No, she dismissed the thought. Those memories had been taken from him. There was no way he could remember.

But his revelation forced her hand. Morgan hesitated a while longer, but once the three humans discovered that the hologram had not been using any power, she gave in and revealed herself to the group. Doctor Weir seemed fascinated by her presence, while Vala Mal Doran was only interested in answers and arguing over who had cheated the Ascended rules. Daniel Jackson was oddly quiet, but his level gaze was steady and contemplative as he listened and evaluated everything she said. Eventually, he questioned her motives and her relationship with Merlin, but Morgan had a feeling that his questions were meant to prove what he already suspected. He had already made up his mind about her.

When all the questions had been answered, there was a long moment of silence. Doctor Weir and Vala Mal Doran seemed at a loss, but Daniel was clearly working something out in his mind. When he finally spoke at length, Morgan knew she was not the only one who was paying close attention to his words.

"I believe you," he said. "I do. I mean, I understand the fine line you have to walk. I realize the risk you're taking just showing yourself." Morgan could see the sincerity and sympathy in Daniel's eyes. But then his voice changed and she saw his eyes flash with urgency and passionate belief. "But I'm sorry, I want more. You can pass that on to your friends as well." He raised his voice in frustration, shouting to the walls. "Yeah, I know you're listening!" And he was right. Morgan knew they were being watched because she had once been one of the watchers. As Daniel continued, his natural eloquence only added to the intensity of his conviction "…because I am getting _sick_ of hidden clues and cryptic messages. And Merlin was right that the Ori are a threat. But not only to us 'lowers,' not only to the billions of humans throughout this galaxy, but to your own existence. Because when this war is over, and every soul that's left alive is praying to the Ori, feeding their need to be worshipped, you know who they're going to come for next. I won't pretend to know what that war will look like, or in what battlefield it will take place, but then, I won't be alive to see it." Soft blue eyes pleaded for understanding.

Morgan voiced the only defense she had. "If we interfere, we are no better than the Ori."

But she knew that Daniel would not accept her argument. He was probably the only human being capable of comprehending the Ancients' beliefs, but he also knew the high moral price they were sometimes forced to pay, and that price was too high for his conscience to accept. "I understand that is at the very core of what you are, of what you believe, but I'm talking about survival here. If you really are trying to help, then help _yourselves_."

Morgan smiled inwardly. There was only one thing she could say to Daniel's persuasive argument. "You speak from the heart, Doctor Jackson. That is what I remember most from your brief time among us." Daniel's startled eyes met hers and she could not suppress a twinge of amusement and affection for the man standing before her. "I know you wouldn't recall," she hastily explained, "those memories were stripped from you when you were sent back."

"That's what you're afraid of, isn't it? Doing the right thing and being punished for it."

"I've already gone too far." He knew why she was afraid. He had once sat in her position. Morgan remembered discussing Daniel's difficulties with Oma Desala. According to Oma, Daniel had wanted so badly to help his friends that it nearly tore him apart, but at the same time he was horrified by the notion that he could be punished for doing something that seemed so clearly _right_. And if he was punished, he would be unable to help them anyway.

"But you can't be the only one to realize the Ori have changed things. There must be others that…that see that the time to join this fight is now!" Morgan closed her eyes in despair. She wished there were others. She had tried so hard to rally others to her cause. Sometimes she thought that she was successful, but no one seemed willing to pledge their full support and risk their lives in a battle that they may not even be permitted to fight. Morgan had hoped that a new era was dawning for the Ascended Ancients, but it seemed that the Others were too entrenched in millennia of indifference and strict adherence to an outdated code of law. "I know what we're asking you to do," Daniel said. "You're afraid the others will step in and stop you from helping us. But maybe, maybe they just need someone to cross that imaginary line instead of just walking it. There must be others among you just waiting to follow your example."

Morgan shook her head. "Not enough."

Doctor Weir insisted that the Others must approve if they had allowed her to proceed this far and Vala Mal Doran asked for just a little more information.

It wouldn't help, Morgan knew. They had the pieces to the puzzle and would figure it out in time. But they were not even fully aware of what they would find at the end of their quest for the Sangreal. Still, Daniel was right. They deserved more than cryptic clues and deceptive hints. And if the truth be told, Morgan was tired of subtlety. She was tired of bowing to the collective's wishes. She had been hiding her actions from them for thousands of years, ever since she first helped Merlin to hide his research. Morgan La Fay felt the other ascended beings watching her and made a choice. She was done hiding.

"Merlin's weapon is not…"

And suddenly, Morgan La Fay was pulled away from Atlantis and cut off from the lower planes. It was what she had feared and what she had expected. But she did not regret anything that she had done.

* * *

Daniel stood on a balcony overlooking the cityscape, gazing out over the ocean. The lights of the city glittered off the water and starlight shone in the darkness. The sea breeze blew against his face like a gentle caress. Under other circumstances, he would have found the night air peaceful, the scenery beautiful, and the city fascinating.

But tonight Daniel mourned for a friend. He had trusted Morgan right from the start. Although he had openly questioned her motives, demanded to know why he should trust her when she had once been Merlin's adversary, there was a part of him that had always trusted her. It was the same corner of his mind that had intuitively known she was in the room, known beyond a doubt that she was an Ascended Ancient. And somehow, he knew that she was also a friend.

Vala wanted to comfort him, but she didn't realize that he was mourning more than just a lost opportunity. He was mourning for a friend. Even after all this time, he still wanted to believe in the Ancients. He wanted to believe that they were pure of spirit and worthy of both his respect and his trust. After all that had happened, he had thought his trust in them was gone, but now he found himself trusting Morgan La Fay the same way he had inherently trusted Oma Desala. And he mourned her loss just as deeply.

If anything, this time was worse because it was his fault. He had been the one to convince Morgan to step over that imaginary line and that made him responsible for whatever had happened to her. He knew exactly how she felt, because once upon a time, he had been prevented from interfering, prevented from helping, and been punished for his futile attempt.

"She did what she believed was right, Daniel," Vala spoke in a surprisingly gentle voice. "How badly can she be punished for that?"

Daniel closed his eyes in pain. "I don't know." It felt wrong for them to punish her for having the courage to act on her beliefs. She risked her life to help him and his people. How could they punish her for such a selfless act?

Vala continued. "Maybe she'll just get a slap on the wrist. Or be forced to write 'I will not interfere in the affairs of humans again' ten thousand times." Vala was trying so hard to cheer him up. She almost reminded him of Jack as she tried to distract him with lighthearted banter. Unfortunately, he wasn't falling for any of it.

"Yeah, I doubt that."

He knew that the Ancients could be quite harsh in their punishments. Morgan had known this would happen. He'd seen her sad dark eyes and heard the weariness in her voice and he knew that she had tried to convince the Others to help. But they had turned deaf ears to her arguments.

"She said you had your answer. We found out the two addresses we came here for. Can you at least…smile about that?" Vala's tone was so sympathetic, almost pleading with him.

"I suppose." Daniel still could not look her in the eye. He stared out over the sea and sighed. "But we did find out something else, too."

"What?" Vala asked.

"They're not going to help us. We're in this alone."

Vala was silent this time. There were no words of reassurance to speak to him because they both felt the truth of what he said.

Daniel took in the sight of this magnificent city and wondered what all the secrets of the universe were worth if you did not have the freedom to do what you believed was right.

_I'm sorry Morgan_, he thought, directing his gaze to the stars above him and wondering if somewhere, somehow, she could hear him. _I'm sorry that I pushed you into this. I'm sorry for what has happened to you. But please know that your sacrifice is not in vain. I believe that. No selfless act is meaningless. And maybe, just maybe, your example will inspire others to act as well._ Morgan had broken the rules for trying to help, but Daniel admired the courage her actions had demonstrated. Daniel didn't know if they would ever be able to stop the Ori, but he knew that they had to keep trying.

* * *

A/N: If you have feedback, constructive criticism, or if you just want to tell me that you read it, then submit a review. Reviews and much loved and appreciated.


	6. Reaction

Spoilers: same as past chapters…

Please remember that in "Pegasus Project," Daniel learned that Morgan's name in ancient is "Ganos Lal." Hence, the Ancients and Ascended beings call her by that name. Morgan is a newer name that she adopted when she returned to Earth. For my purposes, she thinks of herself as Morgan because (at least in her mind) it represents the person she has become, while Ganos Lal represents who she was before her ascension. The distinction is probably not important to anyone besides me.

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Chapter 6 - Reaction

She was surrounded by darkness. A swirling, rippling, churning, inescapable darkness. She had never realized how beautiful light could be. For millennia her existence had been filled with light and energy intermingled to create a wide spectrum of perspectives and experiences in any given moment of time. This was utterly different. It was oppressive, restricting movement and thought, neutralizing any power she may once have had. The sheer emptiness was pressing in on her consciousness, attacking her from all sides, and she knew that there could be no escape from this place. It was a prison.

Morgan La Fay sat alone in a prison without walls. Bars were not necessary in this place. Her powers had been stripped from her and the emptiness contained her essence until such time as the Council deemed fit to bring her before them for trial and sentencing.

She wondered if Daniel Jackson had been confined in a place like this before he was returned to human form.

Morgan had been afraid this would happen from the start, but like Orlin and Oma Desala, like Daniel and Merlin, she felt that it was a necessary risk. And just like those others, she was being punished. Well, okay, to be fair, Merlin was not exactly _punished_, but that was mostly because the Others had a more difficult time capturing him. He had always been one of the brightest among them.

But to be honest, Morgan was not quite sure what she had done to deserve this. Clearly the Others had been watching her carefully. They must have realized that she had taken the place of the hologram on Atlantis in order to give Daniel the Stargate addresses for Castiana and Sahal. And they had allowed her to give him that information. But when she attempted to tell them more, the Others had prevented her. She hadn't even been able to finish a single sentence before she was whisked away and deposited in this place. If they were so angry at her actions, why hadn't they stopped her before she even stepped foot in Atlantis? Was it some cruel game that they played by allowing small acts of interference and then preventing any action that could actually provide significant help to the people of Daniel's galaxy?

Of course, Merlin's weapon was a tremendous threat to all of them. If it fell into the wrong hands… well as Orlin had said, it would be very bad for everyone.

Morgan felt like pacing, but strictly speaking, she was pure energy and incapable of such an action, even if the dark confines of her cell would allow it. The waiting was slowly driving her insane. Which was the point after all. She had shown herself to be impatient and reckless, so the first stage of her punishment was meant to teach her patience. Or perhaps they simply wanted to intimidate her by leaving her alone to think over the possible punishments that could be inflicted upon her. That seemed like rather juvenile behavior for supposedly enlightened beings, but it wasn't impossible. More likely, however, they were simply trying to decide what should be done with her.

As Morgan saw it, there were several possibilities. Oma Desala had been forced to watch the consequences of her actions play out on a galactic scale in order to teach her a lesson. Orlin had been stranded on the planet whose destruction he had caused, and been forced to remain there for hundreds of years. Daniel Jackson had been allowed to retake human form, as he requested, but had his memories erased, and he had been returned to a distant planet in the hopes that he would live out the rest of this life in isolation, even if that was not what had actually happened.

The vacuum of darkness quietly dissolved, only to be replaced by blinding white light. Morgan was momentarily overwhelmed as her senses were overpowered by the sheer volume of power and energy springing to life all around her. Morgan knew she was in the presence of the assembled collective of the Ascended. She waited several long moments for her senses to clear and tried to focus on the beings surrounding her.

A single voice rang out, apart from the others, speaking clearly with more than a bit of malice. "You have always been a fool, Ganos Lal. You had no right to reveal yourself to them, nor to discuss our internal affairs among _lowers_. Our decisions, debates, and history are not to be communicated to those beneath. In doing so, you have betrayed our trust and violated the privacy of our community."

"What you really mean," Morgan said calmly, "is that I embarrassed you by explaining the truth to them. They may be _lowers_ but they have a right to know why we won't help them. Daniel Jackson was once one of us, and therefore has an even greater right to understanding. I am sorry if what I said offends your sensibilities, but the truth is that we will not help them because we are too busy squabbling about petty differences." A murmur of dissent began to grow and Morgan raised her voice to be heard. "I told them the truth. If you are incapable of handling that, then perhaps you are not as enlightened as you'd like to think!"

Other accusations rang out, overlapping one another and assaulting Morgan's mind. _You will be responsible for our destruction, you have turned your back on your people and your beliefs, you who once upheld our laws, who opposed Merlin, this is treason, how far were you willing to go, would you have built the weapon, would you see us destroyed, fool, betrayer, lawless, instrument of the Ori…_

"Enough!" the multi-voiced council silenced the voices. "We will have order. Justice will be dispensed according to our laws." Morgan let out a shuddering breath as the chaos ceased. That such chaos was even possible simply showed how fractured the Ascended had become. The unity of thought and purpose was gone. She turned to face the council, seeing the shimmering light and color of the Ascended's most respected legal body.

"Ganos Lal," the council spoke their pronouncement, words echoing and reverberating, creating ripples in the surrounding energy. "You have been charged with breaking our highest laws. Knowingly, and without regard for the consequences, you have sought to interfere in the natural progression of another race. Furthermore, you have actively encouraged the humans in their search for Merlin's weapon, a weapon whose very existence is in flagrant disregard of the collective's decree." There was a pause as the seriousness of the situation sunk in. There was no need for them to explain her specific transgressions; everyone knew what actions she had committed. "Explain yourself to this council, Ganos Lal, and appropriate action will be taken."

Morgan La Fay smiled sadly, working up the courage to speak. "I do not deny what I have done," her softly spoken words penetrated throughout the assembly. "But I do not take such actions lightly, and I was not thoughtless about the consequences." She tried to gage her audience's reaction but was met with stony silence and eerie stillness. She wondered if her friends had felt this nervous when faced with similar punishment. "I chose to assist Daniel Jackson because I believe his intentions are pure, and his quest is just. He seeks only to help protect innocent beings from the corruption and abuse that would be inflicted upon them by the Ori. I do not believe that we are acting justly by allowing the Ori's influence to spread. We are, in some ways, responsible for the Ori's actions because we have refused to put an end to this dispute, and therefore we are also, however indirectly, responsible for the destruction caused by the Ori's followers."

"Our laws are not without reason," the council said. "They are meant to prevent the Ori from tampering in the affairs of humans. If we ignore our own laws, how can we enforce those laws upon the Ori?"

Morgan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I understand what you are saying. For ages, I have defended and upheld our laws to the best of my ability. My firm belief in the spirit and purpose of those laws has not changed. But the situation we find ourselves in is more perilous than any we have encountered before. Surely, in these times of danger, we cannot maintain such rigid adherence to the letter of the law. Our failure to act may doom an entire galaxy, perhaps more than that if the Ori continue to spread. And as Doctor Jackson has said, they will eventually attack us as well."

Morgan turned to look around her. She could not distinguish the individual beings in this place, could not see the expressions on their incorporeal faces, and could not sense their carefully hidden emotions. She hopped that they truly heard what she said, but she knew that her fight would soon be over.

"There is a battle coming for us. It is a battle we cannot deny or ignore. And if we refuse to fight, to _act_, than we will be destroyed. I tried to tell you this before, but you would not hear me. So today, I chose to take action. I do not regret that decision, nor will I apologize for it. But hear me when I say that each one of you will have the same choice to make, and there will be dire consequences for your inaction."

As her words faded away into nothingness, her confidence ebbed, and Morgan stood before the Others, feeling incredibly small and defenseless.

"We hear you, and thank you for your honesty. But your actions, however well intentioned, cannot go unpunished. The collective will decide what is just in this matter."

Morgan was not surprised of course. She waited for their judgment and she could feel the darkness begin to close in around her again, imprisoning and confining her until the Others had reached a verdict. The silence stretched until Morgan thought that her punishment would be to remain forever trapped in this moment of uncertainty. She could feel the energy churning in the distance and knew that there was a complex debate taking place, but she was shielded from the Others and incapable of hearing them.

After what seemed like a long time, and in fact might have been months in real time, the council turned to report the decision that the assembly had agreed upon. Morgan did her best to stand tall as the sentence was delivered.

"Ganos Lal, your punishment has been decided."

* * *

A/N: Well that was uncharacteristically evil of me!

You all know the drill. Press the little review button to send feedback, thoughts, or criticism.


	7. Consequences

Spoilers: The Quest Part 1

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Chapter 7 – Consequences

Morgan La Fay strolled through the village, or perhaps more accurately, she floated down the streets like an unseen ghost. She was on her way to the local tavern, where she spent much of her time observing the people of this planet. They were a simple people, and in some ways Morgan valued the simplicity they brought to her life. She was no longer able to concern herself with the fate of the galaxy, only the fate of this quiet little village.

This was not the form of punishment she had expected. She'd been understandably nervous as the council relayed the collective's decision, but she had half-expected to be forced to retake human form so that she could not interfere in the affairs of the ascended plains. Many times in the past months, Morgan had recalled the words that the council had spoken to her and wondered at their reasoning.

_"Ganos Lal, by the decree of the Ascended collective, you will be stripped of your powers and banished to a planet of our choosing. You will remain there in isolation to reflect and meditate on your actions until such time as your banishment is revoked. You will remain invisible to the native inhabitants and be prevented from interacting with them in any way."_

Morgan had been oddly comforted by her punishment. After all, she had chosen a life of solitude once before, when she fled from Atlantis with the others who returned to Earth. It seemed a fitting way to spend her retirement. Of course, it was frustrating to be prevented from interacting with the inhabitants. She wasn't even allowed to talk with them, because they would never see or hear her. But on the other hand, they were quite primitive and she really didn't how she would interact with them if she had the chance. So the situation was not ideal, but it was certainly tolerable.

The strange part was the planet itself. The Others had banished her to the very planet where she had hidden the "Sangreal." There was a certain irony in that fact that was not lost on her.

On the one hand, she was delighted to be on this planet. She may be forbidden from interacting, but she could certainly observe. Her position would allow her to know the instant Daniel Jackson and his people reached this stage of their quest. It was truly fortunate that she would get to see the fruits of her labors when the Sangreal was finally discovered. On the other hand, it was pure torture to wait here and wonder what was taking the intrepid "knights" so long to arrive. Surely they had figured out the address to this planet by now! Of course, she hadn't exactly handed Daniel the address, but still, he should be able to figure out the puzzle. She merely wished he would hurry up.

In general, Morgan waited as patiently as she could, observing the peaceful townspeople. She spent much of her time at the local tavern talking to the establishment's owner. Morgan liked this woman and her no-nonsense ways.

"You know, I was once one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy," Morgan told the barkeeper conversationally. "But I suppose that you would think I was an evil sorceress, the creator of curses and monstrous dragons sent to prey upon your helpless fellow villagers…but it really was necessary you know. The Sangreal is more important and more powerful than you could ever imagine. And those villagers who sought the Sangreal and never returned… they weren't harmed." Morgan chuckled softly to herself. "Actually, none of them got past the first test, so they are still stuck in my time dilation field. They still believe that they have just begun their journey. They live in a state of perpetual hope and excitement for the adventure to come. It's not a horrible way to spend eternity, I suppose." The barkeeper walked away to fill another patron's drink. "You know, this conversation would be much more interesting if you could actually hear a single word that I'm saying." The barkeeper said nothing, and turned to greet another customer who had just entered. Morgan sighed and settled onto her stool in the corner. Just as the barkeeper returned to the counter, Morgan heard shouting coming from outside the tavern. There was the sound of hurried footsteps in the street and exclamations of surprise from the villagers.

In the entire time she had been here, there had been no visitors to this little planet. Of course the planet was cloaked so that it was invisible from orbit. She had put that particular safeguard in place many years ago, which meant that any visitors would have to come through the Stargate. Morgan rushed out into the street, quickly followed by the curious barkeeper. Morgan had also hidden the Stargate address to this planet, personally removing it from any map or database she could find, including the database on Atlantis. She was confident that if someone had come through the Stargate, it must be Daniel Jackson and his friends.

She was sadly disappointed.

In the middle of the street stood a troop of Jaffa led by a Goa'uld who Morgan had never seen before. Of course, she had never had any interest in the Goa'uld. They were a menace, to be certain, but they were no concern of the Ancients.

"Search the village. Interrogate every single peasant if you must. If there are any clues here, I want them found."

"Yes, my lord."

Morgan frowned. This was not good. She was beginning to distinctly dislike the Goa'uld.

One of the villagers stepped closer to the Goa'uld, staring at him in confused fascination. The parasite saw him move closer and turned to face him. The villager bowed slightly in respect before addressing the Goa'uld.

"Greetings, stranger. We have not had visitors in many seasons and I would ask to know the reason for your visit."

The Goa'uld looked down at the peasant with disdain, but must have decided against killing or enslaving the village, just yet. Apparently, he had more pressing concerns than adding this planet to his empire.

"I am Lord Ba'al," the Goa'uld began, speaking in a normal human voice. Morgan wondered why that name seemed familiar, and why this "Ba'al" did not immediately announce himself to be the people's "god" as the Goa'uld normally claimed. "I have come in search of the Sangreal. If you know anything that could help me in my search, I would… appreciate your assistance." The Goa'uld clearly wanted to command the townspeople to help him, but somehow he must have thought better of that idea.

The villager was excited. "We have not seen knights searching the Sangreal in many generations. You are most welcome to our village. The village archivist may be able to help you begin your search. Come, this way."

Morgan sighed in frustration. These villagers were simple people. All they knew was that the Sangreal was a great legend. In their eyes, whoever sought it must be courageous, and whoever found it would be a truly noble hero. They had no idea how important, and potentially dangerous, the Sangreal could be.

Ba'al was led to the village library and told that Osric, the keeper of the archives, would be inside.

"Jaffa, kree!" Ba'al shouted. His first prime quickly returned to his master's side. "Secure the building. Make sure no one comes in or out. I'm going to have a talk with this archivist."

"Yes, my lord."

Morgan stood in the street and watched. The Jaffa circled the building, warding off the growing crowd, and calling out orders that merely left the innocent townspeople baffled. Morgan puzzled over these events for a moment. Where had she heard of Ba'al before? Suddenly she remembered Oma Desala lamenting one of Daniel's more drastic attempts to break the ascended rules. Oma had complained to Morgan that Daniel had nearly thrown away his ascension simply because he was tempted to kill a Goa'uld named Ba'al. Apparently Ba'al had captured one of Daniel's closest friends, and Oma had barely talked Daniel out of a dramatic rescue attempt. If Morgan remembered correctly, Daniel had interfered anyway in violation of Oma's wishes, but he had chosen a more subtle approach. The thought made Morgan smile. Daniel had learned how to bend the rules from one of the best rule-benders in history.

Morgan heard muffled voices from inside the building, but nothing more. After a moment, the Goa'uld called out an order, and several Jaffa entered the building. Morgan frowned and moved to follow, getting a closer look.

Inside the library, Ba'al faced off with Osric.

"This parchment is meaningless to me. I am not interested in fairy tales and superstition."

"But Morgan's curse…" the elderly archivist stuttered. "You must heed the wisdom of the Parchment of Virtues, or you will fall victim to the curse as well! Many have sought the Sangreal, but none have survived. It is guarded by a magical beast."

"Ah, yes, we've heard the tale of the mythical dragon," Ba'al said, his accented voice laced with condescension. "But I know the guardian's name. According to your parchment, that is all that is required. It is a simple task for one skilled in defeating magical beasts." Osric looked shocked at Ba'al cocky attitude. Morgan considered Ba'al's claim before discarding it. There was no way he could know the guardian's name. "Now, tell me what you know about the Sangreal," Ba'al said, stepping forward to intimidate the local archivist.

"I have told you. It is a dangerous quest. You will need to consult the Parchment of Virtues and the map that the sorceress left behind." Morgan winced and wished people would stop calling her a sorceress. She had been a scientist and a teacher back on Atlantis. Now she was remembered as a crazy woman who practiced black magic and cursed poor innocent villages. Somehow she thought that Merlin would be greatly amused by that little fact.

"Show me the map," Ba'al demanded.

Osric nodded and hurried into the other room. In the archivist's mind, Ba'al was a knight-errant searching for lost treasure. Osric did not understand the stranger's attitude, but he would still try to help him. They could hear the sound of shuffling papers, and the bump of heavy books being set aside. When Osric returned, he held up the map in triumph. Morgan rolled her eyes and leaned back on the table with a dramatic sigh.

"Must you help this self-serving parasitical life form?" she asked, voicing her frustration, although no one could hear her.

Ba'al took the map and laid it out on the table, studying it intently for several minutes. When he finally looked up, he briefly met Osric's gaze. "Well, this isn't much to go on…just some vague references to forests and a cave beneath a mountain," Ba'al seemed put out, but quickly recovered, returning to his role as a noble adventurer. "Nonetheless, I thank you for your _assistance_…" he spoke with just a hint of sarcasm. "But now we really must be going," he said before turning away. "Jaffa!" At the one word command, Ba'al's Jaffa raised their weapons and pointed them at Osric.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to find the Sangreal," Ba'al gave a condescending grin.

"But you cannot take the map! It must remain here, in the library along with the Parchment of Virtues to guide future knights who come in search of the Sangreal."

"Oh, you can keep your useless parchment, but I cannot allow this map to fall into anyone else's hands. It wouldn't do to have someone following me, now would it?" Ba'al retrieved a candle from a nearby table and held the map just above the flame, watching the corner catch fire. The parchment curled and blackened as the fire spread. Ba'al dropped the useless remains on the floor, crushing it under his boot heel before turning to leave and ordering his Jaffa to follow. They remained on guard, loyally protecting their leader.

Morgan glared at Ba'al. "Sorry, lord parasite, but I don't think that you will be able to pass my tests," she said, with a smug grin.

The Jaffa and the Goa'uld left the village. Osric ran after them, until he reached the edge of the village, all the while calling out, "You burned the map! The curse of Morgan La Fay will come upon you!"

Morgan's smug smile dissolved as she realized that SG-1 would need that map when they arrived and there was no way she could give them the directions herself. She let out a sigh of frustration and realized that this was precisely why the Others had exiled her to this particular planet. She would be forced to watch and wait, worrying over every little thing that could go wrong. No matter what happened, the Others wanted Morgan to witness the consequences of her meddling actions. "Talk about a wicked sense of irony," Morgan grumbled, as she followed after the Goa'uld, unable to do anything but observe.

* * *

A/N: I know that Osric/Adria said that Ba'al tried to steal the map and that the Ori soldiers unwittingly burned it when they ransacked the library, but that makes no sense. Why would Ba'al leave it behind? And how could the villagers prevent a Goa'uld and a troop of Jaffa from stealing the map if they really wanted to? So I decided that Adria lied (as usual) and staged the burning of the library just to convince SG-1 to take her along.


	8. Complications

Spoilers: The Quest Part 1, and all other stuff about ascension.

A/N: I spent an absurd amount of time thinking through this chapter and the previous one to make sure it followed canon and still made sense. Hopefully it was time well spent, but I'm doubtful.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 8 – Complications

It was shortly before nightfall when Morgan decided to return to the village.

She felt vaguely self-satisfied as she left behind the "cursed" forest. She was still slightly irritated that Ba'al had successfully navigated her time distortion field. Of course, the Goa'uld were not entirely ignorant of Ancient technology, but she hadn't expected Ba'al to detect the field so easily. Several of his Jaffa had been trapped before he successfully navigated the puzzle, but that was an acceptable loss to a Goa'uld. However her safeguards had been well thought out, and Ba'al was now trapped by his own greed inside an impenetrable force field.

Morgan allowed herself a smug smile as she congratulated herself on her own ingenuity.

On the way back to the village, she took a detour to the Stargate. Standing before the ancient ring gave her a sense of purpose and perspective. It was such an integral part of her heritage and her past, but at the same time it symbolized the hope for the future. She hoped to see this particular Stargate open and reveal a band of human travelers that showed more potential than any other beings she had encountered. The Others did not want to admit it, but the humans of Earth showed the potential of their race more clearly than any of the remaining Ancients. The Ancients had become complacent, indifferent, and paralyzed by their fear of becoming as corrupt as the Ori. In contrast, the people of Earth were curious, compassionate, and although they made many mistakes along the way, they tried so hard to do what was right. The Ancients had abandoned their gate network when they ascended, but the humans were now continuing the Ancients' legacy of exploration.

Morgan smiled at the Stargate one last time before turning towards the village. As she began to walk away, she heard the distinctive sound of the gate's chevrons locking into place.

She turned back to see the Stargate blossom to life and the event horizon settle back into the center of the ring. The blue pool shimmered, casting an eerie light against the dusky sky. Morgan looked up eagerly, not quiet willing to give in to hope. The event horizon rippled slightly and a solitary figure stepped through the Stargate. Against the bright backdrop of the open gate, Morgan saw a young woman with dark hair and dark clothing.

Morgan shuddered slightly as the wormhole winked out of existence. "Orici," Morgan whispered, as the figure descended the steps.

The Orici looked around the clearing and found herself that she was alone. Even the Ori's chosen one was unable to see the Ascended Ancient who had been banished to an invisible existence. The Orici smiled in glee as though envisioning what she could accomplish with Merlin's weapon. Morgan shuddered again.

"This isn't fair," Morgan said, looking toward the sky. "They broke the rules when they created _her_," she gestured to the young woman. "So why am I punished for breaking the rules, while the Ori wreak havoc?" There was no response. "Fine," Morgan snapped. "It's not as though she can find Merlin's weapon anyway. I made sure of _that._"

The Orici reached up to touch her necklace and her appearance transformed. She suddenly appeared to be village woman. For a moment, the villager's face was graced with a cold smile, and then the disguised Orici began walking down the pathway to the town.

No one noticed the Orici as she wandered into town. Most people thought she was just one of their neighbors, returning from gathering herbs or perhaps returning from visiting her husband who was working in the fields. Morgan was beginning to wonder what the woman was trying to accomplish when the Orici darted down a back ally and carefully made her way to the back door of the village library.

The woman opened the back door, and glanced around briefly before stepping through and allowing the door to swing shut in Morgan's face. Morgan's incorporeal form passed through the wooden boards as she followed closely behind her. Once inside, she saw that the Orici had discarded her disguise and retaken her natural form. They stood in a back room just off the main library. The walls were lined with shelves and the only window was mostly obscured by piles of books and papers. In the dim light, the Orici was motionless and straight, cast in shadow. She seemed to blend into the darkness so that only the pale skin of her arms and face were clearly visible, contrasting against jet-black hair and dark clothing. The dark jewel pendant glistened on her chest, catching the dim shaft of light that entered through the door to the main library, which was barely cracked open.

For a moment, the Ascended Ancient and the leader of the armies of the Ori stood together in silence. Then they both heard a disgruntled voice muttering in the other room. The Orici cocked her head to listen for a moment, and then, with the same cold grin that Morgan had noticed before, she moved towards the main hall of the library.

The archivist was busily straightening shelves and muttering curses, complaining about Ba'al's crimes and the state of a universe where you couldn't even trust traveling knights. Slowly, he became aware that he was not alone and turned to face the beautiful young woman that stood behind him.

"How did you get in here? Who are you?" He asked. "What do you want? Have you come to steal more of my precious documents?"

"No," she spoke. "I have come to give you a great blessing from the Ori. You will be granted the honor of giving your life to protect the Ori and to insure that Origin will be spread throughout every last corner of this galaxy." The archivist stared in shock and confusion. "But first, there is something I need from you," her eyes narrowed as she advanced on the archivist. He backed up against the wall, but the Orici raised a hand to stop him, paralyzing him in her telekinetic grip. He sunk to his knees, gasping and shaking. Her eyes blazed with orange light as she stared into the man before her. "There is a map that shows the way to the Sangreal…where is it?" She asked, speaking each word distinctly. Morgan could almost feel the strain as the Orici pulled the knowledge from the man's mind. She forced him to recall the details of the map that Ba'al had burned, planning on using that knowledge in her own search. Osric was nearly unconscious on the floor when the Orici finally smiled in victory and released him. "So, it has been destroyed. No matter. I would have destroyed it myself, but now I will simply convince SG-1 that they need me to show them the way to the Sangreal. Events have played perfectly into my hands and now that I have retrieved the knowledge from your mind, there is no further reason to keep you alive." A flick of her wrist caused a sickening snap as the man's neck broke. The lifeless body fell to the ground and then disappeared in a flash of light as the Orici waved a hand over the area to dispose of the evidence.

Morgan glared. "What are you planning? How did you even find this planet?" she asked, knowing there would be no answer. "You would probably tell me that the Ori know everything, but that isn't true. Ascension does not make you all-knowing, that's just another piece of propaganda spread by the Ori. And the Ori have never visited this planet. The Others would have stopped them. Despite what they claim, the Ori cannot be everywhere at once. Besides, we confined them to their own galaxy…. Unless one or more of them have come to this galaxy and the Others didn't notice…or didn't care. Either way, you are not omnipotent, but you are not stupid either. You must know that you cannot find the Sangreal without more information than you have…and you can never obtain it yourself…"

At that instant, the Orici turned her head and seemed to look Morgan directly in the eye. The Orici's eyes burned with a fiery light and her lips curled in a slightly sadistic smile.

"You do have a plan, don't you, you demon? A horrible plan," Morgan whispered. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to strike the woman down. But she couldn't.

The Orici looked away and transformed into the image of Osric to begin her latest deception. Morgan wondered if the Orici had actually sensed her presence, or if it was nothing more than a creepy coincidence.

* * *

Three days later, Morgan was once again sitting in the local tavern, harassing the barkeeper with a running commentary that would never be heard, when she felt a growing crowd out in the street. There were murmured whispers of curiosity among the villagers and the sound of footsteps on the brick road, followed by foreign voices. The townspeople had been excited by Ba'al's arrival, but this time they seemed hesitant, curious but quiet and reserved, as if they were no longer sure if visiting adventurers could be trusted. Morgan gave a dramatic sigh before heading for the doorway. _What's the earth phrase again, _she thought, trying to remember. _…Oh yes. 'The third time is the charm.'_ To be honest, she wasn't quite sure what the phrase meant, but she was relatively certain that it applied in this instance.

Morgan walked out into the street and moved past the scattered onlookers to get a clearer view of their latest visitors. Morgan saw five humans walking casually and taking in their surroundings. Although they couldn't see her, she moved to stand directly in front of them, placing her hands on her hips.

Morgan looked Daniel Jackson straight in the eye. "Well, it's about time!"


	9. Frustration

Spoilers: The Quest parts 1 and 2

* * *

Chapter 9 – Frustration

Morgan had stood in the middle of the clearing and listened with pride as Daniel Jackson called out her name and the dragon vanished. She had watched as the five explorers and their two adversaries returned to the cavern. She had seen the brilliant flash of light as all but the Orici were transported to another planet. And she knew that now, events were truly out of her hands. Daniel would find Merlin and revive him. Together they would fight the Ori and she had no doubt that they would succeed. They were both very determined and once they joined forces, she knew they would never give up.

Morgan had spent much time thinking about Merlin, picturing him frozen in stasis. She wanted to tell him that he had been right all along. But she knew that even if – _when_ – he was revived, she would not be permitted to speak with him.

After the too brief period of excitement caused by SG-1's arrival and subsequent search, Morgan was unable to follow them, unable to see Merlin when he was finally awakened from his long sleep. Her punishment had been quite specific. She would not be allowed to leave this planet under any circumstances. Daniel Jackson and his companions would find Merlin, but what happened from here on out was beyond Morgan's control. She wouldn't even be allowed to observe.

Now she found herself once again alone on this small planet. Well, almost alone.

The Orici and the Ascended Ancient stood on the dais, Morgan staring at the obelisk that had transported SG-1 to Merlin's hiding place, and the Orici staring at the pedestal that held the holographic Sangreal crystal.

The Orici swore in Ancient before turning away.

"Watch your language," Morgan scolded.

The Orici walked back to the cave entrance and then stopped, staring back at the pedestal and the obelisk that had robbed her of both the Sangreal and SG-1. For a moment, Morgan thought that the Orici was staring straight at her, but then she realized she was actually staring straight _through_ her, glaring at the obelisk. The Orici shook her head and looked away, heading back down the corridor.

For a moment, Morgan could not decide what to do, but with a helpless shrug, she followed the Orici out of the cavern. "It's not like I have anything better to do," she muttered.

The Orici set out on the path leading back to the village, with Morgan trailing slightly behind. The trip was not exactly pleasant. The Orici muttered curses against SG-1, the Ancients, and Morgan in particular. Morgan, meanwhile, was busy wondering what Daniel and his friends were doing at this exact moment. Had they succeeded in restoring Merlin? What if the stasis pod had malfunctioned and they found nothing but a corpse? What if the long period of stasis had been too much for his physical body and Merlin was unable to finish the weapon? Morgan doubted that Merlin would ever ascend again, even if it was his only means of survival. He hadn't exactly enjoyed the experience the last time. Merlin was simply too brilliant, too restless, too full of ideas to be confined by the strict rules of the Others. And after all he had done and accomplished, after all the trials he had been through, Morgan had a feeling that Merlin would want to finally be at peace, and that peace would not come to him through ascension.

When they reached the village, the Orici was still simmering with suppressed rage. At the edge of the town, they were greeted by an Ori soldier who led the Orici to the prior in command of this operation. He reported that the Stargate had mysteriously activated and then shut down on its own. The Orici's fury only grew when she learned that none of her soldiers had seen the gate address. Her voice was tight and condescending as she spoke to the soldiers, talking down to them as if they were incapable of any reasonable thought. Morgan briefly wondered how anyone could worship beings that so clearly believed everyone else to be inferior.

"I'll need to examine the dialing device," the Orici said was a sigh, sounding for all the world like a petulant child who was irritated that her slaves could not perform this job for her. She ordered the commander to prepare his troops to leave.

"And what of the village?" the prior asked.

If possible, the Orici's voice became even more condescending. "Have they agreed to accept the teachings of Origin?"

"No."

The Orici glared at the prior. "Then burn it." The statement was simple and to the point, as if the conclusion should have been obvious. She turned away from the prior as he murmured his acknowledgment and turned to carry out her orders.

Morgan stood stock still, sputtering. "This village did nothing to you. They were merely pawns in your attempts to manipulate SG-1. You never even cared if they accepted Origin," Morgan spat the words with distaste. "You simply attacked them to force SG-1 to leave the village, accept your help, and obtain the Sangreal for you, because you were too incompetent to pass my tests by yourself." Morgan was now just as furious as the Orici. "You would destroy this village for no other reason then your own capricious whim!"

The Orici did not react as she strode towards the edge of the town and the Stargate.

Morgan sighed in frustration and turned her eyes to the sky. "How can I be expected to stand by and do nothing while she…" she trailed off, taking a shuddering breath. "Is there really nothing I can do? I couldn't help Daniel, I couldn't help the people of this galaxy, and now I can't even help this defenseless village…"

She watched as the Orici approached the Stargate, moving toward the dialing device to begin her examination. Morgan looked back and forth between where the Orici stood, and where the soldiers were gathering to destroy the village.

"Well, I'm not going to just stand by." Morgan shook her head and stalked off.

* * *

The villagers were not stupid, no matter what the Orici thought. They had been watching the soldiers who invaded their homes and they knew that something was happening. There were always those who would do as they were told simply because they were too afraid to do anything else, but there were also plenty of people in the village who wanted to fight back. Many of these villagers had convened an impromptu meeting in the local tavern.

"The knights who visited our town said that they had seen these soldiers before," the barkeeper said, addressing those assembled in her humble establishment. She leaned one hip against the edge of the bar. Her crossbow lay within easy reach and in plain sight. "According to them, these soldiers will kill anyone who resists them. The strangers claimed to have encountered these soldiers on many different worlds and they believed that the Sangreal was the key to stopping them." The crowd murmured in response. "This village has long believed in the power of the Sangreal. If these soldiers wish to find it and exploit it, than we cannot allow them that opportunity. They are murders and thieves. We must not give in to their demands."

"What would you have us do?" one of the villagers spoke up. "Even the strangers were not able to stop these soldiers and we are just simple farmers."

"Even if we surrender, there is no reason to think they will not kill us anyway," another said. "From the moment they arrived they have done nothing but destroy."

Morgan noticed a young man standing near a window, peaking out from behind the curtain. She looked over his shoulder and saw what had claimed his attention. The Ori soldiers were rounding up as many villagers as they could find and ushering them into the stable across the street. The prior stood outside, shouting incantations and invoking the power of the Ori.

"I don't think they care if we surrender," the young man said. The others looked at him curiously and several people closed in around him to get a better look. At that moment the prior raised his staff and a flame shot out from the crystal, leaping to the building which quickly caught fire. There were gasps of surprise and horror from the villagers.

"You can't stay here," Morgan told them. She stepped closer to the barkeeper. "You have to get these people out of here right _now_. If you don't leave, they will kill every last person in this village." The woman looked nervous, but showed no sign that she had heard. "Come on, you have to hear me," Morgan pleaded.

"If we can escape to the forest, perhaps the soldiers will leave, thinking we have all been killed," the barkeeper suggested. Morgan nodded her approval.

"Won't they follow us no matter where we go?"

"Not if they think we are dead."

The sound of soldiers banging on the door made the barkeeper jump and turn to face their executioners. Without opening the door, the prior called out to the innocent people trapped inside.

"The unbelievers will be destroyed and the stain of evil will be cleansed. All those who reject the truth will be swept aside by the light of Origin." They could hear the crackling fire outside as the prior continued to burn each and every building to the ground.

Morgan turned quickly back to the barkeeper. "The tunnel…go through the tunnel and head out to the forest the way that the travelers did." There was no response. Everyone was still too stunned by recent events. Morgan walked over to the hidden passageway and banged her hand up against it to emphasize her point. Much to her surprise, there was a thump as her fist connected with sold wood. The barkeeper turned at the sound and stared at the wall as realization dawned.

"Come, this way. Hurry. We may still be able to escape." She quickly opened the secret passageway and began ushering people through. "If we are lucky, the soldiers will believe that we perished in the fire."

Morgan was still staring at her hand in shock. Normally, when she tried to interact with the physical plane, her hand would simply pass straight through any object she wished to manipulate. Morgan swiped her hand at the wall again and this time it passed through the wood. The villagers were hustling through the passageway as quickly and quietly as they could. The roof of the building had already caught fire and Morgan realized that there was no time to contemplate the strange occurrence. The Orici knew about this passageway because she had used it when she traveled with SG-1. Morgan hoped that the Orici was too focused on her task to remember such trivial details, but she had to make sure.

With one last look behind her, Morgan saw the barkeeper follow the other villagers through the tunnel and close the passageway behind her. "Good-bye, my friend," Morgan said, and hurried back to the Stargate.

* * *

The Orici continued her examination of the dialing device. She stood in front of the device with her hand raised above it, using her Ori-given powers to determine the last address that had been dialed. Her task was made more difficult by the fact that Morgan had programmed the device to dial a gate that was cut off from the normal gate network. But unfortunately it was only a matter of time before the Orici found the altered program, and once she understood how it worked, she would simply have to determine which of the independent gates had been activated.

Morgan cursed the Ori for giving their chosen leader such powers. They had granted her as much knowledge as they could. She certainly wasn't omnipotent, even the Ori had their limits, but the Orici had been given knowledge of the universe that could only come from an ascended being. No lower life form should have access to such knowledge. It was too powerful, too dangerous, too easily corrupted.

"You'll never succeed, you know. The Others will stop you from obtaining the weapon. They'll have to. They would not allow themselves to be destroyed. They forced me to destroy the first weapon and if you create another they will destroy it as well." Morgan wasn't actually sure about that, but she hoped that the Others would prevent Merlin's weapon from falling into the Ori's hands.

Morgan wondered if what had happened back at the tavern was a localized incident or if she could somehow influence the Orici here as well. She tried touching the dialing device, but her hand passed straight through it. She turned back to the woman working on the device and decided to try another tactic

"You know, there is only one thing more pathetic than your attempts to attain the Sangreal, and that is the fact that you believe yourself to be equal to the Ori. You are nothing to them but a pawn that will eventually be discarded. Your delusions of grandeur will never come to pass. You are incapable of understanding the mysteries of the universe. Doctor Jackson and his friends are more advanced than your narrow mind could ever accept. And that is why you will fail and they will defeat your deluded masters."

The Orici's eyes snapped up, flashing with orange fire. Morgan stood firm, radiating her contempt for the Ori.

The Orici stepped away from the dialing device, looking around suspiciously. She walked into the clearing at the base of the Stargate and turned around as though she was searching for something. Morgan advanced on her until they were standing only inches apart.

Morgan lowered her voice and spoke quite clearly in the woman's ear. "Your masters will be defeated, Orici. Make no mistake about that. Sooner or later, the Ori will be destroyed."

The Orici flinched and backed away. "I can sense your presence," she said, her low voice filled with venom and fury. "Who are you? Show yourself!" She was met with only the silence of the forest. "The Sangreal will be mine. I will use it to destroy the Ancients and then the Ori will be unstoppable."

Morgan felt her anger rise at the sheer arrogance of this being. Once again, she found herself wishing she could strike the woman down. She thought of how easy it had once been to control the weather and call down lightening from the sky.

The sound of thunder rolled down from the hills, causing both the Ancient and the Orici to look up. The sky had darkened with menacing clouds. A bolt of lightening hit a nearby stand of trees and the Orici jumped slightly in shock.

"Did I do that?" Morgan asked. She had certainly wanted to, but that didn't seem possible. Besides, she would have struck the Orici instead of the innocent trees. This seemed more like a warning than an actual attack. For the first time, Morgan wondered if maybe she wasn't quite as alone as she had thought. Was it possible that she had convinced some of the Others and that they were here on this planet, watching SG-1, perhaps even helping them in some way?

The prior approached, leading his soldiers, and the Orici tried to regain her composure as she turned to meet him.

"What is it, prior?" the Orici asked sharply.

"Awfully snappy today, aren't you?" Morgan commented.

"The village has been destroyed, Orici," the prior replied.

"I trust you ensured that there were no survivors?"

"Yes, Orici. The villagers were all confined indoors before we burned the village. They perished when the town was burned, as you commanded." For a minute, Morgan thought that the Orici would ask about the hidden passageway, but the prior continued. "Have you discovered the address, Orici?"

"I will," she snapped defensively. "Lead the men in prostration. I will need their faith to give me the strength to find the destination."

The prior nodded and left to do as he was commanded.

And she did find the address, eventually. As the Ori leader led her soldiers through the Stargate, Morgan was left behind. At least some of the villagers had been given a chance to escape. And SG-1 had a head start on the Orici. They still had a fighting chance, but Morgan knew she could not help them anymore. The Stargate winked closed and Morgan thought of Daniel and Merlin, who were surely working on rebuilding the Sangreal at this exact minute.

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm finally back. _And_ I'm almost done, so the final two updates shouldn't take too long. I hope. Cross your fingers.


	10. Reflection

Spoilers: The Quest Part 2

* * *

Chapter 10 – Reflection

It was dark. Very dark. The moonlight just barely illuminated the outline of the Stargate against a sky glittering slightly with stars. The orange glow of smoldering fire was obscured by the tree line, but the air was still tinged with the smell of smoke.

The villagers had returned to the their ruined homes just before dusk. There was very little left for them. Their homes had been destroyed, their streets strewn with ash; many of their friends and neighbors had been killed when the invaders burned the village. They would have to rebuild their lives and their world almost from the ground up.

Morgan La Fay sighed, closing her eyes against the pain. They were innocents caught in the middle of a war that they could not understand. It had begun as a war that took place on another plane of existence. And it was a war that could have been prevented if the Ancients had dared to interfere.

Morgan sat on the ground, leaning against the dialing device and stared up at the Stargate. That helplessness feeling had settled in around her once again, leaving her cold and closed off from the rest of the galaxy.

The former sorceress wondered how you measured the sum of a person's life. In her case, she had lived many lifetimes, but in the end, what did all of those millennia add up to? If everyone had a purpose for their life, and to be honest, she wasn't sure if they did, than what was her purpose? And more importantly, had she fulfilled it before she was stranded on this lonely little planet?

She wondered if she would be recorded in the annals of the Ascended as a troublemaker – a renegade who had finally been dealt with, left to live out her life in well-deserved exile and shame.

And then, Morgan wondered what Merlin would think.

Morgan sighed as she thought over all the events that had led her to this point. She had done what she could. Maybe it wasn't enough, maybe the Ori would still win, maybe no one would ever know about what she had done…but that was not the point. She had done her best, done what she thought was right. No one could ask for any more than that.

Morgan leaned back on the grass and looked up at the stars above her. Whether or not her efforts made a difference, it was the attempt that mattered. She had done her part, and now it was time to let others take over her quest. Merlin would do his part, Daniel would do his, and the rest would be up to those that came afterward. The results were out of her hands and it was time to release that burden. She had tried to protect Merlin's ideals and continue his legacy, but now it was someone else's turn.

The smoke and clouds were beginning to clear and Morgan watched more stars join their companions in the night sky, feeling more at peace than she could remember feeling in a very long time.

* * *

Merlin looked at the man standing before him. No, it was not Galahad. That had been wishful thinking. He had hoped to awake to the face of a friend and instead he was surrounded by strangers who told him that he had slept for over a thousand years. No, this man was not Galahad, didn't even look like Galahad really, but the similarities were there, beneath the surface. Daniel Jackson, as the man had introduced himself, had the same single-minded focus, the same purity of heart and truth of spirit as the now dead Sir Galahad.

Now his companion, on the other hand, was another story. The physical resemblance to Percival was uncanny. He wondered briefly if there could be some ancestral link between the two, but the memory of Doctor Jackson's insistent words brought him back to the matter at hand.

"Myrddin, we need you to remember. About the Sangreal. About Morgan and how you got here."

And as Daniel explained everything that had changed in the last thousand years, Merlin thought briefly about Morgan.

He had often cursed Morgan for playing along with the meaningless rules of the Others. It was simply beyond him how someone of her intelligence could so blindly follow a clearly faulty law code. On the other hand, for all of those years when she had been doing the council's bidding, Merlin had greatly enjoyed the game of cat and mouse that they played. Morgan had always been smart and capable, and even if she was not quite a worthy adversary, their game provided him with some amusement.

He had been nothing less than shocked when she had appeared to him, saying that she had come to agree with his position and that she wanted to help. Merlin chuckled at the recollection. Arthur had not understood why Merlin would suddenly ally himself with the troublesome sorceress. Of course, that was around the same time that Merlin and Morgan and begun dropping clues about the Sangreal, pulling together old myths in order to create a legend of their own. They had hoped that Arthur's knights, or perhaps the descendants of those nobleman, would be able to find the Sangreal and protect it.

Merlin had never thought that their quest would take over a thousand years.

He looked at the man before him. Doctor Daniel Jackson. He was a human scholar who had studied the legends that Merlin himself had left behind. But he was also a fellow warrior against the Ori, and a former ascended who was willing to do what he believed in no matter what the consequences. Merlin couldn't think of anyone more qualified to finish what he had started. They were kindred spirits in some ways, despite their many differences. He almost chuckled as he tried to imagine this stubborn man abiding by the rules of the Others. It was no wonder they had sent him back.

And then Merlin wondered about Morgan. She had always been very by-the-book, so to speak. It wasn't that she was narrow-minded, far from it, but she believed in the necessity of order and self-discipline. While Merlin had been a leader among his people, Morgan had been a teacher. She was not naturally inclined to positions of authority. She had been brilliant in her own way, but she did not take it upon herself to lead others or take the initiative in matters of great importance. She was characteristically cautious and reserved, never prone to taking great risks.

But this time, Morgan _had_ taken the initiative. In spite of her belief in order and discipline, and the firm moral boundaries that she believed in, Morgan had decided to act on her own, against all of the Others, even though she knew full well there would be no one to support her decision.

Merlin smiled. It was completely unlike her and wonderfully impulsive. Perhaps, Merlin thought, he had rubbed off on her over the years. Or perhaps, she had just been waiting for the right time to make her move. Either way, it was time for him to make use of this one brief opportunity that she had granted him.

* * *

Daniel was trying not to think of how bizarre his situation seemed. He was literally living a legend, something that had been written down and recorded in storybooks long before he was even born. If the situation wasn't so dire, he thought that all of this would be incredibly fascinating. Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth had uncovered an ancient wizard trapped and frozen in a cave many years ago by a mysterious sorceress. Just when he thought that his life couldn't get any stranger…and he had a feeling that he hadn't seen the end of it just yet.

It was mind-boggling really. Merlin had been fighting the Ori for several lifetimes. The Sangreal was his life's work. And Morgan had made it her goal to protect Merlin so that he could finish that work. Compared with what they had accomplished, Daniel knew that his life was little more than a tiny blip on the radar of a much bigger conflict. It was staggering to realize that what they did here today would be the culmination of thousands of years filled with strife and sacrifice.

Daniel looked over to the Ancient repository, wondering what Merlin had done to the device that last time.

He had hoped this would work. He had hoped that somehow Merlin would have a plan to make everything right. Even now, he fervently hoped that they would be able to finish the Sangreal and use it against the Ori. Because he knew that time was running out and this was the only lead they had. All of their attempts so far had led to utter failure and Daniel couldn't help but remember what Mitchell had said months ago.

"I'm not saying we should give up. I'll fight to my dying breath. I just think we need a new plan."

And Daniel couldn't help but agree. This was the best plan they had. The only plan. But he wondered how many people would die to make it happen. Morgan had already sacrificed her freedom to give them this chance, and there had been something in Merlin's eyes, in the weary sound of his voice that Daniel recognized. He wondered if it was the same thing that Jonas had seen in his eyes before he jumped through that glass window on Kelowna.

Merlin had known he wouldn't survive if he continued to use that device and he had literally spent his dying breath to give them a chance to fight the Ori. He had simply run out of time. But where did that leave them? Daniel didn't even know if this would work, but Morgan and Merlin had believed that the attempt was worth the sacrifice.

And Daniel recalled Merlin's last words as well. "Good luck, Doctor Jackson." That was what he had said. For some reason that warmed Daniel's heart. It made him feel as if he had a part in this legend and that Merlin's legacy would somehow continue. The historian in him couldn't help but feel proud to be included in that legacy.

Daniel turned to Vala and tried to talk his way through the situation, explaining their past experiences with the repository device and theorizing on what Merlin had done.

Daniel tried to take a deep breath as he figured out what he had to do. He didn't know whether it would work, he didn't know what would happen next, but he did know that he had to try. He had to have faith that this was part of a bigger plan. He remembered that step of faith through the wall of fire and prepared to take another leap.

He began to move towards Merlin, distracting Vala for just long enough that he could turn and grab hold of the device, activating it quickly. He knew that Vala would be angry. So would the rest of the team. They probably wouldn't understand why he had taken this risk. But somehow, he knew it would work out. It had to happen this way. Merlin was right. There was one last task and Daniel had to help complete it. Both Morgan and Merlin had worked for too long to have their efforts wasted.

Daniel shuddered slightly as the device activated. Then he focused on the task at hand.

* * *

Author's Note: For some time now, I've planned on ending the story at this point. Morgan's work is done and in a way, everything has come full circle. It seemed like a fitting place to end.

However, Morgan (in her rather pushy way) insisted on an epilogue. Which is also fitting, considering that _nothing_ about this story has gone the way I originally intended.


	11. Epilogue

Spoilers: Pegasus Project, The Quest 1 & 2, and The Shroud

Notes: I am assuming that Merlin's weapon successfully destroyed the Ori in The Shroud and that the Ancients allowed SG-1 to build the weapon because they approved of Daniel's plan (or Merlin's plan – whatever). I don't know for sure if these assumptions will be contradicted at some point, so for now, just go with it and pretend that this takes place either late in season 10 or around the time of the first movie.

* * *

Epilogue 

Daniel was bent over his worktable, silently puzzling over a piece of Ancient text. It probably had no strategic value for the SGC, but Daniel hoped it might hold a bit more insight into what the Ancients believed and how they had become what they were today. There was a stack of work on his desk, all of which was probably more important: mission reports, the rough draft of a mineral rights treaty with some planet whose name he had already forgotten, status reports from various members of his staff on a wide variety of translation projects and anthropological surveys… But Daniel had shoved all of that to the side in favor of this one obscure and cryptic little text because, for some reason, the Ancients still held an undeniable fascination for him. Even after they had punished him and wiped his memory, even after sharing his mind with Merlin, he still wanted to understand what forces had shaped the Ancients. There was so much that he could learn from them, even if part of what he learned was that he did not want to follow in their footsteps.

Suddenly he felt a slight stirring in the air, as if a cool spring breeze had rushed over him.

"Hello, Doctor Jackson."

He spun around to face the soft voice and found himself staring at the glimmering image of a woman dressed in white, with short dark hair framing a pleasant face, and a warm smile gracing her lips.

"Morgan."

"Yes, my friend," she smiled. "And before you ask, you are not imagining this."

He looked stunned and it took him a moment to speak. "But how? I thought you were punished by the Others?"

"I was. I was banished from them and stripped of my powers. But despite what you may think, they are not without compassion. Now that your attack on the Ori was successful, they are no longer such a dire threat, and the Others believe that I will have no reason to break their laws again. However, they revoked my banishment with the clear understanding that a second transgression would not be tolerated. They will, no doubt, be watching my actions closely."

He stood, brows drawn together in confusion. "So why are you here? I mean, even speaking to me violates the rules. Why would you risk angering them again?"

Morgan smiled. "You were once one of us. The rules hardly apply to a former ascended. You know who and what we are better than anyone else in your galaxy. What possible damage could this conversation cause? I am coming to you as a friend Daniel Jackson, nothing more. I am not here to help you in any way. Actually, I'm here to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"For showing us all that some things are worth fighting for. For giving me the courage to do what I should have done a long time ago."

Daniel shook his head. "I didn't do anything Morgan. All I did was ask you to help me. And for that, you were punished." She saw the flash of guilt cross his face as Daniel spoke quickly, the words pouring out on top of one another. "I'm sorry, Morgan. I should have known what would happen. I knew the consequences, and I never should have asked, never should have pressured you to…"

"Daniel." Her voice stopped him and he looked up to meet her eyes again. "I needed to try. I needed to take a stand, no matter what the consequences were. I have never regretted that, any more than I regretted hiding Merlin away in the safety of that cave." She turned away to pace his office slightly. Daniel watched intently, waiting for her to continue. "You see, Daniel, I have lived according to the laws of the Ascended for far longer than you have been alive. And for the most part, I believed in those rules and what they represent. But even when I opposed Merlin, there was a shade of doubt. I thought that maybe the rules meant to protect us were also holding us back from something…more. And from the day that I met you, I knew that you would never be satisfied with what we had to offer." Morgan smiled softly. "You were always searching Daniel, always trying so hard to make a difference. You made me question my actions and realize that even though I had helped Merlin, I hadn't done enough."

She could see the disagreement in his eyes. "Morgan, you chose to act all on your own. It had nothing to do with me. You have been fighting the Ori for thousands of years. You and Merlin. I simply helped Merlin finish what he had started. You are the one who protected him, who made it possible for him to finish his work."

Morgan laughed. "You never were one to take credit for your actions." She turned away again, looking contemplative before she changed tactics. "You know, Daniel, you and I are the only ones left."

Daniel's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Morgan continued as though she hadn't heard him. "I have spent so much time watching as others broke the rules. As others risked their lives in the hope of making a difference. Orlin will never be the same since he helped you cure the Ori plague. I doubt that we shall ever see Oma Desala again." Daniel lowered his eyes at the mention of his mentor's name. "And now Merlin is gone as well. It's funny, actually. I always thought that Merlin would out last us all." When Daniel looked up, Morgan could see the sadness and sympathy in his eyes, reflecting her own feelings. Daniel understood exactly how she felt. And that was why she had come to him. "You and I are the only ones left. The only ones who managed to break the rules and survived to tell the tale, as you might say." She looked at him intently. "Don't ever regret the choice you made, Daniel. And don't ever stop trying to make a difference."

Morgan thought she saw Daniel blush just a bit, but he looked away so that she couldn't be sure. "And what about you?"

Morgan grinned back at him in response. "Well, it turns out you were right about a good many things. Recent events have caused many among us to question the 'archaic rules.' There are many who still respect Merlin for all that he has accomplished. He was High Councilor of Atlantis and is still granted the respect that such a position affords. His words and his actions have swayed many. And I'd like to think that my actions played a part as well. Either way, the balance of power has shifted and it is possible that some of the old rules will be discarded in the very near future. Or at least, revised, in light of what we have recently learned."

"So, the Others are finally going to admit that they don't know everything?" Daniel asked with touch of sarcastic humor.

Morgan laughed. "Well, I wouldn't go that far. But they are willing to admit that the galaxy has changed, and perhaps we should change with it."

Daniel shrugged and seemed to contemplate that for a moment. "Well, I suppose every revolution has to start with the desire for change."

"Exactly. And it will be a revolution. It may take some time…well, actually, it may take another thousand years, but I believe that it will happen."

"I'm happy for you, Morgan. And while you're here, since I might not ever see you again, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for proving me right and thank you for having the courage to risk your life for us." Morgan smiled and her image shimmered slightly in the light. She seemed about to reply when Daniel was distracted by footsteps and a loud voice.

"Hey, Jackson!" Mitchell's voice drew Daniel's gaze to the doorway. When he looked back to where Morgan had stood, there was only empty space. "We've got a mission briefing in five minutes. Are you coming or what?" Daniel let out a sigh and sunk into his chair. "Jackson?"

He glanced up distractedly. "What? Oh…" Daniel scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Uh…yeah. I'm coming."

The colonel gave him a critical look. "Who were you talking to?"

"What? When?"

"Just now. I heard you talking to someone just before I walked in. Who was it?"

Daniel looked up with a wry grin. "Just a friend."

Mitchell looked annoyed. He made a show of looking around the room. "What, an imaginary friend? I don't see anyone else here."

Daniel stood up and spoke calmly. "I was talking to Morgan La Fay," he said, before strolling nonchalantly out of the room.

Mitchell stood in the office, dumbfounded before finally hurrying after him. "What…Morgan La Fay…as in Morgan the sorceress…the Ascended Ancient…the one who told you guys the addresses for Castiana and Sahal…the same Morgan who hid Merlin on that planet and left a dragon to protect him?"

"Yep!" Daniel called over his shoulder. All the way to the briefing room, he just couldn't stop grinning.

* * *

A/N: I want to thank those of you who have stuck with me through this. Thanks for making this story so much more fun for everyone involved. 


End file.
